APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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01C01-9506-CC-00210

01C01-9506-CC-00210

Originating Judge:James L. Weatherford
Lawrence County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/14/96
01C01-9506-CC-00199

01C01-9506-CC-00199

Originating Judge:Gerald L. Ewell, Sr.
Coffee County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/14/96
Richard Harris v. Triangle Auto Springs Company

01S01-9510-CV-00176
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employer, Triangle Auto Springs Company, contends (1) the award of permanent partial disability benefits is excessive and (2) the trial court abused its discretion by commuting such award to a lump sum. The panel concludes that the judgment should be modified as provided herein. On October 4, 1991, the employee or claimant, Richard H. Harris, felt a sharp pain in his back while lifting an automobile spring at work for the employer. The employer referred him to the Mid-Tennessee Bone and Joint Clinic where his injury was diagnosed as a probable ruptured disk. Medication was prescribed and he returned to work. When he did not improve from conservative care, a CAT scan was ordered, which confirmed a ruptured disk in the low back, with L5 radiculopathy from a pinched nerve. Ultimately, the claimant was referred to Dr. Robert Weiss, who performed a lumbar laminectomy. The surgery was successful and the claimant was finally released from the surgeon's care with a weight lifting limitation of fifty pounds occasionally and thirty pounds repetitively. Dr. Weiss estimated his permanent anatomical impairment at ten percent from guidelines of the American Medical Association. The claimant returned to work for Triangle in January of 1993, but in a lighter position, where he could work within his limitations. When he was laid off from that position and no other was found within his limitations, he attempted to rehabilitate himself by returning to college and studying toward an Associate of Science degree. The employer paid half of his expenses. At the time of the trial, he was working as a technician in the Physical Therapy Department at Maury Regional Hospital. He is studying to become a physical therapist. The claimant and his wife own their home and are current on their debts, a home mortgage and a debt secured by their 1993 Jeep Cherokee. They have been married for sixteen years and have a young daughter. The trial judge found, among other things, that the claimant had a permanent partial disability of sixty percent to the body as a whole and awarded benefits accordingly, which he commuted to a lump sum. Appellate review is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of correctness of the findings of fact, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(2). This tribunal is required to conduct an independent examination of the record to determine where the preponderance of the evidence lies.
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Jim T. Hamilton
Maury County Workers Compensation Panel 03/14/96
01C01-9506-CR-00163

01C01-9506-CR-00163

Originating Judge:Jane W. Wheatcraft
Sumner County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/14/96
01A01-9509-CH-00419

01A01-9509-CH-00419

Originating Judge:Donald P. Harris
Hickman County Court of Appeals 03/13/96
02C01-9505-CC-00149

02C01-9505-CC-00149
Dyer County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
03C01-9509-CC-00258

03C01-9509-CC-00258
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
02C01-9310-CC-00233

02C01-9310-CC-00233

Originating Judge:Jon Kerry Blackwood
Fayette County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
02C01-9507-CR-00187

02C01-9507-CR-00187

Originating Judge:John P. Colton, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
Thomas v. White

01A01-9507-CH-00310

Originating Judge:Robert S. Brandt
Davidson County Court of Appeals 03/13/96
01A01-9509-CH-00394

01A01-9509-CH-00394

Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton
Maury County Court of Appeals 03/13/96
The Victim'S Age. W E Relied on State v. Adams, 864 S.W .2D 31 (Tenn. 1993).

02C01-9506-CC-00178
Hardeman County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
01A01-9507-CH-00310

01A01-9507-CH-00310
Davidson County Court of Appeals 03/13/96
03C01-9505-CR-00138

03C01-9505-CR-00138
Greene County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
02C01-9506-CC-00163

02C01-9506-CC-00163

Originating Judge:Dick Jerman, Jr.
Haywood County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
02C01-9504-CR-00111

02C01-9504-CR-00111

Originating Judge:W. Fred Axley
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/13/96
03C01-9504-CR-00119

03C01-9504-CR-00119

Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/12/96
03A01-9509-CV-00306

03A01-9509-CV-00306

Originating Judge:Thomas J. Seeley, Jr.
Carter County Court of Appeals 03/12/96
Harold v. Smith,

03C01-9506-CR-00168

Originating Judge:James E. Beckner
Hawkins County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/12/96
02A01-9310-CH-00219

02A01-9310-CH-00219

Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 03/12/96
03C01-9502-CR-00055

03C01-9502-CR-00055

Originating Judge:J. Kenneth Porter
Cocke County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/12/96
01S01-9303-CC-00052

01S01-9303-CC-00052
Supreme Court 03/11/96
03C01-9505-CR-00134

03C01-9505-CR-00134
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/11/96
03C01-9503-CR-00070

03C01-9503-CR-00070

Originating Judge:E. Eugene Eblen
Roane County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/11/96
02A01-9411-CV-00258

02A01-9411-CV-00258

Originating Judge:Julian P. Guinn
Court of Appeals 03/11/96